Apparatus for trimming a part for a knitted garment



29, 1964 E. DER ESTEPHANIAN 3,162,949

APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING A PART FOR A KNITTED GARMENT Filed June 20, 1962 United States Patent 3,162,949 APPARATUS FOR TRHHMING A PART FUR A KNITTED GARMENT Estephan Der Estephanian, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Estebar, Inc., Manchester, N.H., a corporation of New Hampshire Filed June 20, 1962, Ser. No. 203,841 2 Claims. (Cl. 33-11) This invention relates to apparatus for trimming to a desired shape a part or panel which is to be joined to other parts to make a garment such, for example, as a womans swimsuit. More particularly the invention relates to apparatus for trimming the knitted front panel for a womans swimsuit, such panel having been knitted in such a manner that suitable three-dimensional bulges are formed in the upper portion of the panel to serve as breast cups. It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus by which such a panel can be reliably trimmed to assure an excellent fit if it is then properly stitched to the other part or parts of the swimsuit.

As hereinafter described in more detail, the apparatus comprises a table on which the panel is laid after being folded double, a template to overlie the panel, a clamping means to press the template down on the panel, and a knife manually operated to trim along the edges of the template. To accommodate the breast-cup bulges in the fabric, a suitably located hole or recess is provided in the table top to receive the breast-cup bulges and thus to avoid distortion of the adjacent portions of the panel when the template is clamped down on it. For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof, and to the drawing, of which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a table forming part of the apparatus embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a doubled front panel for a womans swimsuit;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a small disk to enter a hole or recess in the table top;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the apparatus with a swimsuit blank clamped therein;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are sections, on a larger scale, on the line 66 of FIGURE 4, respectively without and with the disk shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a section on the line 77 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 but showing the parts in a diiferent position of operation; and

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a heated knife.

The apparatus illustrated on the drawing comprises a table having a top 20 of a size and shape to receive the garment part which is to be trimmed thereon. In

order to accommodate garment parts with three-dimen-.-

sional bulges such as a front panel 22 for a womans knitted swimsuit having bulges 24 formed therein for breast cups, a hole 26 or equivalent recess is cut in the table top, this hole preferably being of modified oval shape. When a swimsuit panel 22, doubed as indicated in FIGURE 2, is laid out flat 0n the table top 20, the three-dimensional breast cup bulges are pushed down into the hole 26 as indicated in FIGURE 5, so that no portion of the swimsuit rises above the plane of doubled panel 22. To assist in arranging a panel properly on the table top, a plate 28 is provided to be inserted in the hole 26 after the bulges 24 have been pressed into the hole. The plate has a shape similar to that of the hole but is slightly smaller than the hole so that there will be room for the fabric between the edges of the hole and plate when the latter is inserted to a position flush with the table top as indicated in FIGURE 6. The insertion of the plate 28 serves to anchor the garment part so that it will not slip out of place when being manually smoothed on the table top. When a doubled knitted swimsuit panel 22 has been smoothly arranged on the table top, a rigid template 30is laid thereon, this template having a straight side edge 32 which is put flush with the fold of the doubled panel. The panel will have been made with the dimensions suflicient to let the margins along the remainder of its periphery 7 project out beyond the corresponding edges of the template 39. The template is then pressed firmly on the panel to grip the panel against slipping when a trimming knife 34 is drawn along the edges of the template with the exception of the straight edge 32 to trim off the projecting margins of the panel.

The clamping means shown on the drawing is quick acting and efiective. It comprises a base 40 which is secured to the table top 20 near an edge thereof. Two pairs of ears 42, 44 project up from the base to serve as bearings for a lever arm 46 and an operating lever 48 respectively. The lever" arm 46 carries a cross-piece 59 which engages the top of the template 30 when the lever arm 46 is swung down and is long enough to distribute the pressure sufficiently on the template. The lever 48 is pivoted at 52 to the ears 44 at a point spaced from one of its ends which is pivoted at 54 to an end of a link 56. The other end of the link 56 is pivoted to the arm 46 at 58. The link 56 and the adjacent end portion of the operating lever 48 form a toggle joint by which powerful pressure can be exerted on the template 30 by operation of the lever 48, a handle 60 being provided on its other end to facilitate operation.

After the panel 22 has been trimmed, the presser crosspiece 50 is lifted by operation of the lever 48, the template is removed, the disk 28 is picked up out of the 1. Apparatus for use in trimming parts of womens garments having three-dimensional bulges for breast cups, comprising a table with an oval recess adapted to receive such bulge, a disk having a shape similar to that of the recess but slightly smaller and adapted to be inserted in said recess flush with the top surface of the table after a garment part has been placed in position on the table with a bulging portion extending into said recess, a template adapted to overlie a garment part on the table, and clamping means mounted on the table and operable to press said template down.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1, said clamping means comprising a base member secured to the top of said table at an edge thereof, a lever arm pivoted to said base and rockable from an upright position to an active position pressing on said template and a toggle linkage mounted on said base and operatively connected to said lever arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 684,142 Ward Oct. 8, 1901 

1. APPARATUS FOR USE IN TRIMMING PARTS OF WOMEN''S GARMENTS HAVING THREE-DIMENSIONAL BULGES FOR BREAST CUPS, COMPRISING A TABLE WITH AN OVAL RECESS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SUCH BULGE, A DISK HAVING A SHAPE SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE RECESS BUT SLIGHTLY SMALLER AND ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED IN SAID RECESS FLUSH WITH THE TOP SURFACE OF THE TABLE AFTER A GARMENT PART HAS BEEN PLACED IN POSITION ON THE TABLE WITH A BULGING PORTION EXTENDING INTO SAID RECESS, A TEMPLATE ADAPTED TO OVERLIE A GARMENT PART ON THE TABLE, AND CLAMPING MEANS MOUNTED ON THE TABLE AND OPERABLE TO PRESS SAID TEMPLATE DOWN. 